With fruit from a little stretch of vineyard rows up in the cool and forested Lamole area (at 600 meters in elevation), the organic Fontodi 2020 Chianti Classico Filetta di Lamole shows wild raspberry and cherry with background tones of peat moss, almond and fragrant blue flower such as lilac and violet. The wine is lean-bodied and very vibrant in personality. This is the proverbial companion to spaghetti and fresh tomato sauce. Some 20,000 bottles were released.

A fresh, vibrant style, with a vivid structure driving cherry, plum, licorice and leather flavors. Shows fine concentration, along with harmony and a lingering finish that echoes fruit, licorice and earth notes. Drink now through 2028. 1,400 cases made, 400 cases imported.??–BS??Region: Italy / Chianti Classico Select to Add

This is a distinctive and fun wine that cements Giovanni Manetti's growing fondness for the high-elevation Lamole area of the appellation that has always been regarded as somewhat detached or isolated from the rest of the appellation. In the face of climate change, the authenticity of Lamole, and its cooler growing conditions, are an important asset. Manetti tells me that 2018 was a good year, but it rained more and was generally harder to manage. The 2019 vintage is classic, with balanced results thanks to regular weather patterns. The organic 2019 Chianti Classico Filetta di Lamole speaks to a wine style that is winning over those who love elegant Sangiovese. The wine is punchy and bright with a pretty array of wild cherries, blue flowers and dusty mineral. Manetti says he remembers how those same fresh aromas filled the winery during fermentation. Fruit comes from a nine-hectare property at 600 meters in elevation owned by a cousin. But Fontodi also recently acquired more vineyards in Lamole to grow this program.